We’d love for you to meet Abigail!

Really, Really Great News!

We are overwhelmingly excited to announce our referral (& our acceptance of that referral) for Gou Xiao Xia! We got word from our adoption agency on Monday, February 12, 2006 that they had the file of a little girl that they wanted our family to consider. (Actually, they called Friday late-afternoon but by the time we received their message the office was closed, and we had to wait the entire weekend to find out what the call was all about!)

About Our Little Abigail

Her name is Guo Xiao Xia (means “young summer” – Guo is her surname). She was born on March 7, 2006 and she entered the orphanage on May 15th. She has a cleft lip and a cleft palate. The lip was repaired in December 2006 but the palate has not yet been repaired. Other than that she appears to be healthy and beautiful. She is currently in the Beiliu City Welfare Institute (e.g. an orphanage) in the Chinese province of Guangxi, which is located in southern China (borders Vietnam). Her orphanage is located in the southeast corner of the province. The link below will show you the province of Guangxi with all the orphanages in that province. You’ll see the Beiliu orphanage just to the left of the word “Guangdong” on the bottom right hand side of the map - Map of Guangxi

The Timing

Our match happened relatively quickly because we are going through the Waiting Child program, which finds homes for older children, or children with special needs. Xiao Xia, soon to be Abigail, has a congenital III degree cleft lip and palate. While her lip has already been repaired, we had the opportunity to meet with a leading craniofacial specialist in Dallas who, after looking at all the pictures and the medical records, said it will need to be redone once she is home. She will also need to have her palate repaired shortly after we return. We should be traveling to bring her home in 4 - 5 months!

The Anticipation Grows

When we first got the call & then the email with her medical records and photos it was very surreal. Here was this little girl that we’ve been praying for like crazy for over a year and all of a sudden she’s there. In the days following the call from our agency I (David) have gone through a series of emotions.

The first was shock and awe. Our referral came a lot quicker than I was anticipating. Somehow in my head I figured we had another 9 – 12 months before we would be matched. I was surprised…very surprised…..pleasantly surprised.

After shock came a little bit of anxiety. Are we ready for three kids? Don’t we need more time to prepare (as if you can ever really “prepare” for children)? This feeling was very reminiscent of life right before Daniel and then again before Caroline.

Anxiety has given way to warmth. There has been a growing affection in my heart for little Xiao Xio. As the week has passed by the Lord has been creating a strong, fatherly affection for my little Xiao Xia. I can’t describe it but I will tell you that I have gone from feeling shocked, awed and anxious to feeling empathy, compassion and a really deep longing to bring our little girl home. Now when I think about her (which is most of the time) – I’m thinking from the perspective of her father. Is she being taken care of adequately? Does she find favor with any of the nannies? Is she being held? Is someone comforting her when she cries? Are any of the boys being punks to her? The deep desire of my heart is to get on a plane and bring her home….the coming months are going to be difficult. Our daughter is in China & I am unable go get her – ugghh…..

Daniel & Caroline

Both Daniel & Caroline are very excited about finally getting to meet this person we’ve been talking about and praying for. Their excitement is best illustrated in three recent events –

The other morning – Daniel came into the kitchen and looked at the picture of Abigail. He looked at me and said in his sweet, squeaky voice, “Hey dad, Abigail sure is cute, isn’t’ she?” “She sure is buddy….she sure is.”

He’s also volunteered his special white blanket. Not just any white blanket….but the one he slept with for the first 2+ years of his life (don’t panic - he’s now moved on to a special green blanket). The white blanket has his name is stitched in blue thread on one of the corners. He thought it would just be a grand idea to give that blanket to Abigail as his special gift to her. As we talked about it he also decided that it would be really fun to take his blanket and have “Abigail” embroidered on the other corner, in pink thread. That way Abigail would always know who gave her the blanket.

Finally, the other day he and Caroline were watching Dora's World Adventure in the other room. In one part of the cartoon Dora is making her way through China (returning all the friendship bracelets – just in case you were curious). Missy was in the kitchen and she overheard Daniel tell Caroline..."Hey Caroline...do you see that big wall (i.e. The Great Wall of China)? That's what China is going to look like! Did you know that!?!"

They are both excited about finally being able to have Abigail home and Caroline is especially excited about finally being a big sister.

Waiting

We’ve got a couple months to get everything in order for Abigail’s return. We would love it if you would join us as we pray for our little girl. Some of the things we’re specifically praying about:

¨ That even now, at a year old, she would have a real sense of God's unwavering, unbreakable, irresistible, consuming love for her.

¨ Protection and care in the orphanage…that she would find favor with the nannies

¨ That our paperwork would fly through the Chinese system so we can bring her home quickly

¨ That Missy & I would be able to bond quickly with Xiao Xia. The attachment of baby to care giver is really crucial in an adoption – we’re going to look different, sound different, everything about us and our way of life will be different then what Xiao Xia has known. We’re asking the Lord to prepare her heart for us and our hearts for her.

¨ The transition for Daniel and Caroline. They are excited, but we know that it’s going to be an adjustment for them. We want to be really sensitive to the emotional needs of Daniel & Caroline.

¨ That all the details and resources would be taken care of.

Psalm 139:13 - 16

For you created my inmost being;

You knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you

when I was made in the secret place.

When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

your eyes saw my unformed body.

All the days ordained for me